Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

1. Responsible Agency: United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management 2. Type of Action: Administrative (X) Legislative ( ) 3. Document Status: Draft (X) Final ( ) 4. Abstract: This Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) describes and analyzes four alternatives for managing 55,990 surface acres on the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA) in southeastern Arizona. The SPRNCA, located in Cochise County, is administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and includes approximately 47 miles of the San Pedro River. The BLM is the lead agency for the SPRNCA RMP/EIS with five cooperating agencies initially participating with the plan development: US Army Fort Huachuca; Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD); Arizona Department of Transportation (AZDOT); Cochise County; and City of Sierra Vista. In January 2018, AZDOT withdrew from the project. The plan alternatives are as follows: Alternative A, the “no action” alternative, which continues the management decisions of the Safford District RMP and San Pedro River Riparian Management Plan; Alternative B, which emphasizes opportunities for increased public access and livestock grazing over the entirety of the SPRNCA, while focusing on active resource management to mitigate impacts from increased use; Alternative C, the preferred alternative, which balances resource protection and public use by authorizing livestock grazing in areas compatible with the conservation values and providing a diverse mix of recreational opportunities, while utilizing active resource management to minimize impacts and for ecosystem restoration; and Alternative D, which emphasizes resource protection and conservation by eliminating livestock grazing and limiting recreational opportunities, while focusing on natural processes and passive resource management for restoration. Planning issues addressed are soil and water resources, wildland fire, visual resources, cultural resources, lands with wilderness characteristics, livestock grazing, recreation management, lands and realty, wildlife and fish, transportation management, and social and economic conditions. The draft alternatives also address designating areas of critical environmental concern and wild and scenic river suitability findings. 5. Review Period: The review period on the SPRNCA Draft RMP/EIS is 90 calendar days. The review period began when the Environmental Protection Agency published a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. 6. For further information contact: Ms. Amy Markstein 3201 East Universal Way Tucson, AZ 85756 (520) 258-7231 Email: amarkstein@blm.gov ePlanning website: https://go.usa.gov/xnTuM